In private, the fantasy element of humiliation tends to predominate. No matter how heavy the humiliation, no matter what is done or said to the submissive — if only the dominant and the submissive know about it, humiliation barely exists; it remains shadowy, unworldly, and hermetically sealed. The presence of a public brings humiliation into the world. Objective witnesses give it the weight of reality: the submissive's failure to be a whole human being is not merely the dominant's perception, but what anyone can see.

The exact number of persons that it takes to constitute a public is not important. In many cases, a third person would be sufficient to witness the act of humiliation and confirm the dominant's perception. On this account, cuckolding may be treated as a form of public humiliation, although in that case the cuckold would be the witness.

Humiliation in a public place, where there are numerous observers who did not consent to participating in power exchange, can be exciting, but risky. If the dominant does not achieve the right tone, observers may view the humiliation scene not as exposure of the submissive's failings but as straightforward, nonconsensual abuse. "Why is this cruel person picking on this unfortunate person?" In short, the dominant risks being humiliated — the opposite of the intended effect.

If not done discreetly, or in a setting such as a fetish club where kinky activities are expected, public humiliation may violate the privacy of the uninformed witnesses. Most people, even the kinky ones, are not looking to get involved in power exchange every time they go out. However, that may be one of the risks that anyone runs when appearing in public.